1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to power actuated accessories for vehicles and, more particularly, to an improved power actuated antenna installation for an automotive vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, in power actuated accessory applications for vehicles, an accessory device such as a radio antenna, windshield wiper arm or the like is mounted on the vehicle body for movement in a prescribed path. Motive power for the accessory device is typically an electric motor secured to the vehicle body and connected to the accessory device through appropriate linkage. The combination of motor and linkage can, during operation, generate vibrations which may be magnified by the body structure to which the motor and/or linkage is attached and experienced within the passenger compartment as noise. To combat this noise transmission phenomenon numerous isolation systems have been proposed which have been, to varying degrees, successful. A power actuated antenna installation according to this invention incorporates a vibration isolation system which represents an improvement over heretofore known systems in similar applications.
Accordingly, the primary feature of this invention is that it provides an improved power actuated accessory installation for automotive type vehicles. Another feature of this invention is that it provides an improved power actuated accessory installation for vehicles particularly suited for radio antenna applications. A further feature of this invention is that it provides, in an automotive radio antenna application, an improved power actuated accessory installation incorporating a novel isolation mounting system for reducing the transmission of noise inducing vibration from the actuator power operator to the passenger compartment. A still further feature of this invention resides in the provision in the improved power actuated accessory installation, when embodied in a power antenna application, of an antenna mast assembly rigidly attached to body structure of the vehicle and a power actuator assembly supported on the mast assembly through isolation mounting means which discourage transmission of vibration of the actuator assembly to the mast assembly and supporting body structure. Yet another feature of this invention resides in the provision in the improved power actuated accessory installation, when embodied in a vehicular power antenna application, of a mast assembly including a mast jacket rigidly attached to body structure of the vehicle and an extendable antenna member on the mast jacket, in the provision of a flexible drive element connected to the antenna member and projecting out the lower end of the mast jacket through a guide bushing on the latter, and in the provision of an L-shaped actuator assembly having a generally vertical leg connected to the mast jacket intermediate the ends of the latter through a pair of elastomeric grommets providing primary vertical support for the actuator assembly and having a generally horizontal leg disposed below the mast jacket with the drive element projecting into the horizontal leg through a combination elastomeric seal and grommet located adjacent the guide bushing so that the seal and grommet cooperates with the drive element and guide bushing in resiliently resisting lateral displacement of the horizontal leg relative to the mast jacket. These and other features of this invention will be readily apparent from the following specification and from the drawings wherein: